Black Travel Alert For The Philippines

Black Travel Alert For The Philippines

   8/29/2010 09:35:00 PM       freemindonline

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Hong Kong citizens are mourning, Philippine police insensitivity and incompetence, Philippine media frenzy. The bottom line, Hong Kong nationals died on Philippine soil for the world to see. And even after the tragedy, the Philippines government continues to handle the tragedy without direction and conviction. 

If the Hong KOng people thinks that their fury will affect the Filipinos in the Philippines, they had another thing coming. An ordinary Filipino's life is already a tragedy from birth to death. In general, government insensitivity and incompetence is a way of life in the Philippenes. To be a Filipino is to be resilient and in this tragedy, the police will keep doing and doing and doing the same blunder. Many hostage dramas had come and gone and the latest last August 23 is no different from previous handling of hostage situations. The police handles this tragedy the same way they usually handle hostage cases involving Filipino. So I think it's a fair assessment that the Philippine police does not discriminate other Asians but if the hostages were Americans, it's a different story.

Let’s put things fair and square. Let's see, if the hostage taker was taken down without casualties what would be the world reaction?. In a third world country like the Philippines, it would be a travel advisory against visiting the Philippines, again! -- well basically no change except now it will be a stern warning from Hong Kong and most possibly a fallout in relations between the territory and the Philippines.

I read a column "RP may be heading toward breaking point". Good point, but again if no casualties occurred would Hong Kong or rather the world will react differently?. Foreign governments doesn't care how a hostage taker feels, it's more of how the Philippine government will solve the crisis. Looking at previous hostage situations handled by Philippine police, it's more of an ineptness that resulted positively. So as long as ineptness produces acceptable positive results, why should the police improve their ways -- Don't fix something that is working.

The situation simply put:
- the hostage taker sees the outside of the bus 360 degrees.
- no clear or existing crowd control.
- large lights pointed at and around the bus.
- assaulting team does not know the possible location of the hostage taker inside the bus.
- assault team uses a sledgehammer to breaks the bus glass window but waited minutes before assaulting inside the bus.
- assault team does not have gasmask but uses teargas before storming the bus.
- the hostage taker tried shooting the assault team but shoots fired were way above to hit the police waiting at the sides of the bus, why?.
- almost all assaulting police were using sidearm
- no crime scene investigator immediately after securing the crime area.
- unauthorized persons were within the scene of the crime after the shootout.
- the bus was not secured over the night to protect any missed evidences.
- the police brandishing cache of high-powered commando weapons the following days after the tragedy on an online newspaper, what for?.
- were the dead bodies examined by forensic experts before being collected?
- how was the bus removed from the scene area?

Did the Philippine police even studied the type of bus they assaulted?, the same actual bus for training, they had a whole day to do this. The police thought that this is another day of hostage taking that will end like any other hostage taking in the past -- how wrong they are. This should be a wakeup call and not another reason to create another special group ontop of another special group with the same specialization on this kind of situations. This must serve as a sign that drastic changes to the police force should be made not just for foreigners but for Filipinos themselves. One thing I noticed with the Philippine police is that they are in denial.

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Why Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III and the Filipino Stupidity

Why Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III and the Filipino Stupidity

   5/11/2010 10:43:00 PM       freemindonline

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Election experts would talk about Noynoy and how he won the election analitically and statistically. But had anyone asked or talked with the voting public directly, mingled around with the poor, or got into a conversation with anybody under a shady tree?. It wont take hours to get to know why and how they decided to vote for a president like Noynoy Aquino.

If we do a Noynoy versus ???, we get the following general answers:

1) Noynoy vs Teodoro - Filipinos are stupid enough to vote one of them even though they basically belong to the same feather. But Filipinos are not that stupid to vote for somebody who they perceive to still be and will be seen as a "Danding" person even though I think Teodoro is not.  The stupid poor Filipino voters that they see are not stupid enough to vote for a person who had connection with somebody who stole big from the coconut farmers. 

2) Noynoy vs Villar - Filipinos are stupid enough to vote for Noynoy because the typical poor voters can't see how a Villar can accumulate such a wealth, a person who says he's from the poor sector who made it big, really, really big! just won't compute for the common poor. And the only way that the poor see's Villar is that this guy did something corrupt to get on top of the world.  The stupid thing here is that the typical Filipino voters are just stipid to think that they can relate more with Noynoy than with Villar -- thanks Villar for portraying a poor beginning and running as a wealthy presidential aspirant, you forgot the Filipinos prefer to be the underdog -- always!, no exceptions.  Villar is stupid enough to think that the poor Filipino voters are that stupid to think that they can be like a Villar if somebody would show them how, like example a "Villar".

3) Noynoy vs Estrada - Filipinos are stupid enough to vote for Noynoy because Estrada is for the old or the action movie goers who still believes in the 70's movies approach to make a difference. So either go for a wristband pro poor rich presidential aspirant or vote for a Noynoy who Estrada can just kick and punch as he pleases. Again, Filipinos are not that stupid to vote for a presidentail aspirant portraying a gang-ho attitude and a jail experienced president.  The Estrada camp were stupid enough to think that just because they portray the saviour of the poor as in the movies, they can get the poor young generation votes -- Mr Estrada, your portrayal of the poor saviour is decades behand...

4) Noynoy vs the rest of the pack - Filipinos are stupid enough to vote for Noynoy because the rest of the presidential aspirants are just not lively enough to be, so serious are the rest that it's only a Noynoy who is not to much of everything.  Remember that the noontime shows of channel 2 and 7 are doing good because Filipinos want to be entertained. Yes!, Noynoy is somebody to watch, observe, be amused, and hopefuly to listen to. Filipinos are suckers for seing moneyed simple person fighting for the rights of the poor.  It's like watching a drama series where the parents died so the son or daughter takes over the task at all cost and hardship.

I can only pray that Noynoy is the end of decades of hope for Filipinos waiting for the right person that can be trusted and followed. But then again, it's always the president's managers that will make or break a president.

Good luck to the new president!!!

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Philippine Election 2010

Philippine Election 2010

   5/04/2010 09:06:00 PM       freemindonline

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Part 2 of 2

The new government should have a clear cut policy regarding;
- China's economic emergence
- Fuel security
- Electricity monopoly
- Information technology
- Food production
- Foreign policy
- Reliance to US support

You may think that "how are all the above points relating to the current poverty of the Philippines?" -- EVERYTHING. You see "poverty" is a driving force for any government related elections especially this 2010 election. Solving poverty is not giving and donating, poverty is a result not a cause. Find the cause, you solve the problem.

But I will not be talking about poverty. I'll be explaining certain points that may lead to a better Philippines and avoid future issues 10 years along the road. But if it cannot be avoided at least an outcome can be seen before it happens and action be taken.

China's economic emergence
In couple of years, China's manpower exports will be english capable, these are mostly blue collar workers. Note that Taiwan is on the road to tying the knot with China regarding manpower services. This is not to mention that China is already having a foot hold in the middle east.

Filipinos can't rely on workmanship, english understanding, hospitality, loyalty, etc. to stay competitive. One way or the other, manpower intensive exporting countries will catch up and surely overtake the Philippines. So will this be the only time to act when everybody is infront of you.

A president should spearhead a long term plan to make Filipino workers more competitive globally and not just provide the know-how to work. A president should inspire the citizens by being an example of a person who takes pride by making sure Filipinos are first and foremost. The president should take a clear stand if the Philippines will remain an exporter of workers and as such to create contingencies to China's domination scenario.  The president must re-evaluate our current policy with China militarily and economically and weigh the gains versus a closer ties with countries on the other side of the globe.

Fuel Security
Fossil fuel is not increasing. Somewhere in the future whoever have fuel to burn will be the masters of this world. I think Filipinos are tired of being the slaves. Alternative fuel source is a must and not a plan to drag on and on and on. Multinatinal oil firms know this that's why they keep counties like the Philippines by the neck to be sure that Filipinos remain slaves to the future. These oil companies are cornering the Philippines fuel resources and making sure the Filipinos are suckered to an agreement to sit like a dog, to beg for scraps.

A president should take charge when oil companies are making a mockery of our local laws and weak agreements with multinational fuel providers. A president must make sure that the Philippines will and have alternative fuel plans that are not based on multinational oil company's aganda. A president should put his/her foot forward to make sure that Filipinos get the best deals and best possible alternative fuel source that will guarantee the Philippines future and stability 50++ years from now.

Electricity Monopoly
A single electricity reseller, an electricity provider owned by a reseller of electricity or vice versa. Either way electricity rates will not go down. Filipinos are being treated like asses by big electricity providers and resellers because there are no alternative that the government can provide. All lower electricity bills will be recovered within a couple of months interval. Their is no true lowering of electricity rates as long as no alternative options that the government will spearhead. The government are playing helpless here and making Filipinos "tanga" of no options under the sun. New technologies are available it's just that the government are more on corruption than investing for the future.

A president should make sure that monopoly is not an option for a necessity that may affect every Filipinos life and living. A president should make sure that the Filipinos are not at the mercy of a single gargantum electricity provider/reseller. A president should make sure that even a single Filipino has a voice especially if it involves the needed necessity to survive.

Information Technology
Why is it the Philippines have many call centers that even the government are riding on the call center madness. Is it that the Philipine government has no fresh ideas to introduce that is why they only have feeling for call center businesses. Many small and upcoming information technology businesses innovative as such have no priority support by the government. Even the basics of taxation is not clear for the information technology business. The Philippine government are only as good as technology for farming and livestock, including fisheries. What other support that the government can give if the government managers are not even literate enough to know the full potentials of information technology. And even with the knowledge, old habits are hard to break. No new young faces that are comfortable with information technology to drive the country to a more competitive state.

A president should be versed with the knowledge of information technology. A president should know that the cornerstone of any future development will rely on information technology. A president should know that information technology is the leveling field that makes small nations competitive enough to take on big nations. A presidnt should know that information technology is for information technology experts and not to be entrusted to non-technology experts to decide on. A president should know that information technology is not just softwares and hardwares but a state of mind to succeed using information technology tools.

Food Production
Traditional farming method is at risk because of the changing weather. If the future president is not deep in his/her understanding of the nature of weather effect on a long term scale, how will he/she take advantage of a seemingly glim situations of the Filipino food producers. This is a major and immediate threat that a president must address on his/her first day of work.

A president must be open minded to alternative food production technology. A president should understand that the Philippines will eventually embrace new ways of producing food. A president should be informed that food production for future Filipinos will be reliant to the kind of technology that will be implemented for the next 5 years. A president should be knowledgable that the Philippines worsening weather situation must be taken as an advantage to make sure of the Filipinos food security for the coming years.

Foreign Policy
The Philippine foreign policy on the actual scene is generally a mirror of a Filipino character. But sad to say a foreign policy without a backing of a strong willed government is a foreign policy just on paper. Majority of Filipinos does not even know what the Philippine foreign policy is all about, how good is it implemented, is it even pro Filipino for that matter or pro foreigner.

A president should have a foreign policy that benefits and protects Filipinos. A president should have a clear cut foreign policy that is not biased to certain nations. A president should make sure that the Philippines foreign policy is not dictated by multinationals. A president must not be afraid of foreign backlash to benefit majority of Filipinos. A president should make sure that other country's foreign policy will not dictate on the Philippines foreign policy.

Reliance to US Support
For decades, the Philippines is relying for US support militarily and even how foreign policy are handled. Had anyone thought of if the US was not there to help, will the Philippines be more independent to govern?, this is a clear job of a president. Support given by any foreign country is never free, payment will be collected one way or the other. It's a matter of how much a president is willing to give in exchange for help or support.

A president should have the will to stand up against pro US supporters if it is detrimental to the Philippines future self reliance. A president should encourage local reliance of foreign support. A president should make sure that foreign support agreement not be one sided for the benefit of foreigners. A president should show example of patriotism to encourage the ranks to follow. A president should make sure that foreign military presence are bounded by agreement of mutual respect and understanding.

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Philippine Presidential Aspirants 2010

Philippine Presidential Aspirants 2010

   5/04/2010 07:38:00 PM       freemindonline

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Part 1 of 2

All those running for the presidency are all barking up for the benefit of the poor. These presidential aspirants are trying to voice a problem that had been an issue decades ago, so really no change at all. Any future president will just have the same problem again and again because they are just satisfying what is seen and heard, sadly majority of the voters are poor so stick to what the poor wants to hear and understand. The real job of a president is to make sure citizens are directed to the right path of development and not just maintain a status quo of sub standard acceptance. But how can citizens be directed if the president to be does not even have a clear cut, relevant, and proactive policy to start with, not even the will power to take charge. What we see and hear about a presidential aspirant to get elected in office are all about "What They Did To Help" genre. Let's not forget that these aspirants are here because the are doing a job, they did a job. Their current and previous government positions are to perform to what is ask of them as their job title dictates so it's not really a help that they want it to portray, there work is a responsibility to be liable to.

The poor needs help, not to mention they are a major factor to win a presidential race. But let's not forget that the problems that Filipinos are seeing and will continue to see are decades ago problems that is persisting because these leaders had been taking advantage of the "poverty" alleviation popularity. I think the more the poverty is, the better the chances of a presidential aspirant. So why alleviate the poor when the poor are the cause to get elected at all.

On my next post, I'll be pointing out what can basically be part of a proactive agenda that I think should be a top priority for an aspiring president so Filipinos can see if they have a president who can guarantee a true and well deserved future.

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